…seems like a really long time for your daddy to be away when you are just eight months old.

Welcome home, Daddy!

First time for the Bluebird sitting at the Gasthaus table like a Big Girl…and Skye doesn’t let grass grow under her feet – er, hands. John’s away again, but we took our dear friends out and they got a kick out of her industriousness. Don’t worry, the video rights itself after a few seconds.

Skye Washing Clothes

SKYE-BIRD:  “Loving the color, Mama…the fit?  Not so much yet.”

MAMA:  “Hang on, Baby-Doll.  I’ll fix it.”

S-B:  “Yeah?  Well, you might want to step on it.”

M: “Oh, John, look!   She’s so cute!   – ha, ha – take a picture, take-a-picture!”

S-B: “This is ridiculous.”

M: “Hurry, Hurry!”

S-B:  “Ok, People.  Listen-here:  YOU got to go up in the cool Blue Tower.

YOU get to have hot, strong Irish Breakfast tea and apfel strudel.  YOU get to walk around and look anywhere you like, all under your own power.

That’s it.  I’ve had it.  No more pictures today.  This thing is coming ….OFF!”

DADDY:  “Daddy loves Skye.”

S-B:  “All better now.”

Last Sunday, we met up with some friends and went to Maulbronn to see the Easter Egg Market.

 
Germans make a big deal about Easter and combine many Orthodox traditions with their own (think:  red eggs everywhere!), and mix in ancient Pagan customs, too.  The mix of Earth Spirituality and Judeo-Christianity is interesting, and so different than the States.

We met up after church, so Skye had on her very de rigueur cloche, and her bunny coat (of course!) and we were proud to show her off.  The Germans loved her, proclaiming her to be “so süß!” at every turn. (Sweet? Yes, she certainly is.)

She is growing so fast.  She is all clear, ice-blue eyes, pink skin, sweet breath and breathless squeals.   

Yesterday, we saw what we had been feeling for days – her first tooth – on the bottom, just right of center.  She is a little whimpery, a little irritable, but she responds well to cuddling and kisses and me stroking her face and hair over and over, gently and quietly.  The way this little one stares at you when you talk to her is just amazing – a still, calm demeanor that I’m thankful she seems to have inherited from her lovely birthmother.   I am also so thankful for a bond that we seem to share already, namely that when she is most distressed the one who can soothe her is Mama. 

We’re cherishing this year, these first milestones.   

We sure love our girl.

* Pictures courtesy of our friend, Lisa. 

Her first cereal. She did great!

My girl doesn’t have stagefright, that’s for sure – even with an audience.

Our girl is 4 months old today.

She’s so beautiful.

We took a long walk today, in the fresh air of the German countryside.

…and today began like every other day since the 18th of August. That is, every day is a Sunrise Day.

Auntie C.C. came to visit – a spur-of-the-moment, deliciously unforeseen and all-too-brief visit, but a visit nonetheless.

She knew just what to do and say to our girl to make her giggle –

- and it was so great to catch up, even if it only lasted for an evening.

So, now, it’s bedtime, and she’s gone – but we miss her already.

“… walks besides you on crisp autumn days when frost is on the fields and winter’s drawing near. His head is within [your] hand in his old way.”

~ Mary Carolyn Davies

…of scruffy beard, baseball cap … and a pink blanket.

Never thought I’d see the day.

Of course, now that Skye’s here, it seems the most natural scene in the world.